The King's Horse
by lpdrunknmunky
Summary: One unfortunate night, a battle with an Arrancar temporarily splits Ichigo into his Shinigami and Hollow selves. Ichigo needs help keeping his Hollow in line until the spell wears off, and only Uryuu has what it takes whether he likes it or not. And it seems the Hollow has a particular goal in mind for the reluctant Quincy.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The King's Horse

Pairing: Ichigo & Uryuu & Shirosaki

Warnings: current arc spoilers, mild violence, strong language, explicit sex, reiatsu kink

Summary: One unfortunate night, a battle with an Arrancar temporarily splits Ichigo into his Shinigami and Hollow selves. Ichigo needs help keeping his Hollow in line until the spell wears off, and only Uryuu has what it takes whether he likes it or not. And it seems the Hollow has a particular goal in mind for the reluctant Quincy.

AN: Inspired by a doujinshi called "Baby I Love You" where Uryuu is the owner of two pet 'cats', characterized by Ichigo and his Hollow counterpart. Very cute read, if you haven't stumbled upon it yet. There are no cats in this story, though.

Theme songs: "Hear Me" by Imagine Dragons and "On My Way to Heaven" by Above & Beyond.

* * *

1

* * *

 _Boom, boom, boom._

 _Textbooks blast from the library's shelves to pelt scrambling students. The computer in Uryuu's lap grows fangs and tries to chomp down on his wrists but he snatches them out of the way just in time. An empty chair beside him spawns arms and legs that grasp at him, threatening to strangle and crush. Two end tables dissolve into a pile of snakes that slither and hiss a malicious warning. He tries to quickly flee the dangerous scene but his powers won't work. Glancing at his arm, Uryuu gapes to see the pentagram talisman that has accompanied him through most of high school and his first couple of years at university is missing. He is completely helpless._

 _Boom, boom, boom._

 _Hollow screech across the cavernous building, closing in on him from all sides. Seven altogether. At full strength, he could take them out with no problem but as he is, Uryuu doesn't even have any reishi capsules on hand. The people who were quietly studying around him vanish. Left totally alone, he faces down the snarling Hollow steadily closing in. Death is calling. He doesn't want to believe it but he is out of tricks. They will claim his life, it is only a matter of time. Uryuu closes his eyes and breathes in, then out in an attempt to calm himself and regroup. The ground beneath him cracks and separates into a great chasm with a reverberant roar._

 _He falls._

 _Boom, boom, boom._

Uryuu jolts awake with frantic gasps and a sheen of cold sweat dotting his skin. His racing heart begins to slow within seconds but the psychological damage is already done. Tonight's nightmare is far from surprising, considering he has been suffering from them for weeks now. He gets stress dreams like these every once in a while, always has. At first he blamed the most recent resurgence on looming college exams for this latest bout but those have since passed and the dreams have not. Gripping the sheets tightly in his fists, Uryuu wills the residual terror to recede as he focuses on evening his respiration.

Then he notices part of the dream was real after all. A renewed succession of insistent knocks on his apartment door rouse him from bed. He pads into the living room and cautiously approaches the door, only to sigh in relief as he senses only Kurosaki on the other side of it. Flipping the lock and twisting the handle, Uryuu stumbles backward when the man rushes inside without preamble.

"Ishida, finally! I thought you'd never answer the damn door! I was about to break it down."

"What's going on, Kurosaki? It's the middle of the night..."

"It's my Hollow. I need your help, come on!"

Preparing to ask for clarification on that baffling statement, Uryuu's shoulder is nearly yanked from its socket as Kurosaki attempts to drag him from his home. He fights back, brow furrowing in confusion and ready anger. While they aren't quite on as poor terms as they once were, he and Kurosaki are still a far cry from bosom buddies these days.

"Have you lost your mind? You can't just come to my place at this hour and rouse me from bed to attend some vague errand at your behest!"

"I don't have time for your usual stubborn attitude. This is important, damn it!" Grabbing him by the shoulders, Kurosaki leans close with an intense gaze to show he means every word. "I'll explain later, okay? You're the only one who can help. Just come with me right now, please!"

Faced with such sincerity and urgency, he can't decline in good conscience. Kurosaki wouldn't act this way for anything frivolous. Uryuu breaks free of his hold to snatch a jacket and slip on his shoes. He offers Kurosaki a firm nod of acquiescence before they step out into the night. They start out at a dead run that instantly dissolves any lingering fatigue from his body. They dart here and there, down a block and across an alley. It soon becomes clear, however, that Kurosaki has no idea where they need to go and he is growing more panicked by the minute.

"Will you tell me what this is about?"

"I told you, it's my Hollow. I need to track it down. Can you sense it yet?"

"Your Hollow? You mean the one that hasn't reared its head since Hueco Mundo? I thought that struggle was over with."

"So did I," grumbles Kurosaki, eyes agitatedly skimming the skyline in vain. "It's a long story. For now, we just need to find him _fast_ and you're the strongest at sensing reiatsu of anyone here. I can't seem to track him at all. Will you try?"

Swallowing hard at the implications of such a disastrous turn of events, Uryuu closes his eyes and widens his focus. He can feel Kurosaki's energy blazing distractingly right beside him, but familiarity allows him to tune it out with relative ease. Aside from a modest burn from each of the rest of their empowered friends, the town is quiet. Expanding the field once more, Uryuu finally locates a quartet of Hollow signatures on the outskirts of Karakura. One of them contains just a hint of something familiar, something of the Shinigami restlessly waiting before him. It's also immensely powerful.

Blue eyes snap open to meet Kurosaki's. "I've got it. Follow me."

 _Hirenkyaku_ speeds his steps slightly faster than Kurosaki can follow. In these fleeting moments of waiting, Uryuu worries. Memories of the orange-maned monster he briefly battled with above the palace of Los Noches strobe through the forefront of his mind. The one that stabbed him through the stomach without an ounce of hesitation or remorse. Call him a coward, but Uryuu really isn't looking forward to facing that beast again. Once was more than enough.

The harried trip across town is too short for his liking. Presented with the prospect of fighting Kurosaki's Hollow again, Uryuu would prefer to have a better strategy than showing up and duking it out. The whole situation makes no sense in the first pace, though. Here Kurosaki is next to him, and there his Hollow waits, entirely independent of the vessel to which he should be irrevocably tethered. Not to mention Kurosaki's physical body must still be lying somewhere without its evidently split soul.

"I see him," grunts Kurosaki with a glare aimed between the trees. "He's fighting those other three Hollow."

One glance at the scene and Uryuu has to correct him, "He's _playing_ with them, like a cat with frightened rodents."

"You should stay here. I'll take care of this."

"Kurosaki, wait!" he cries, grasping the sleeve of his shihakusho. "Tell me what I'm witnessing. If that really is your Hollow, how did he get detached from your spirit? Will he attack once he sees you? Do you have the ability to stop him?"

"There's no _time_ for all these questions, Ishida, I have to stop him before he hurts anyone. Just stay here."

Frustrated and cranky, Uryuu scowls when his grip is shaken loose and Kurosaki flash steps toward the occupied clearing. Uryuu relocates to a high branch overlooking the battlefield below. The entity sharing a similarity with Kurosaki is nothing like the horned demon he recalls in that dark scenario. This one closely resembles Kurosaki himself, only in shades of white where there would be black, silver instead of orange, and glowing yellow in place of warm brown. He wields one of the twin blades of a Zangetsu updated since the Quincy Blood War.

Instinctively summoning his bow, Uryuu aims at the snickering Hollow taunting his three bedraggled brethren. Those fierce yellow irises swivel to lock with his as azure light flares at his wrist. A chilling leer curls across the inverted Kurosaki's face. Not one to fold under fear, Uryuu prepares to draw the ethereal string and takes aim in case the real Kurosaki needs backup to bring him down. He sees his friend stride into view just as the Hollow does.

"Long time no see, King."

"Not long enough."

"Ah, don't be like that...You'll hurt my feelings."

One of the other Hollow perceives an opening and lunges. Kurosaki's alter ego dodges with a giggle and jabs the thing in its side to elicit a grating wail of pain. A second takes a turn and winds up with a ghastly slash down its back. The third gets a crushing smack to its mask that doesn't quite fracture. Uryuu cringes to see what is clearly some twisted form of torture being enacted right in front of him. Despite years of calling Hollow like these 'enemy', even he understands deep down that they aren't to be blamed for their voracious actions, much less deserving of gleeful punishment. He raises his weapon and fires.

"No, Ishida!"

Kurosaki's shout comes too late. All three wounded Hollow disintegrate instantaneously. Only then does he realize the call was not made out of concern for his wilder half, but for what might happen to Uryuu for stealing his playthings. Before he can blink, Uryuu is snatched from the branch and tossed to the ground. He coughs against the loss of breath on impact but doesn't have time to recover as the negative to Kurosaki's positive is slamming him against a wide trunk. A fist closing tightly around Uryuu's bracelet dispels his bow and fingers at his throat keep him locked against the tree.

"Whadda we got here?" he murmurs mere centimeters from Uryuu's face. "Well, if it ain't Ishida Uryuu in the flesh."

"Get off!"

"Let him go!" demands Kurosaki at the same time, rushing over but halting at a threatening gesture from his Hollow. "It's me you want. Leave him out of it."

"That's where you're wrong," the creature bearing down on Uryuu says without breaking eye contact with him. "The one I want is already in my reach."

"What?"

He gets whacked into the bark for his question, the blow momentarily dazing him. That's when the Hollow closes the distance between them to initiate a rough kiss. Uryuu freezes in utterly disabling shock. Not-Kurosaki growls in annoyance at his lack of participation and tugs sharply at his hair to cause a gasp, an opening so he can push a tongue inside. And while Uryuu is literally being kissed into a stupor, a wide-eyed glance confirms that Kurosaki is just as stunned and speechless. He recovers much swifter than Uryuu, though, and proceeds to haul the assailant off him with a snarl.

"What the fuck are you doing!?"

"Making out with Uryuu, obviously. Who asked you to barge in the middle? I didn't hear him complaining."

Tossing a questioning look at the supposed victim, Kurosaki raises an eyebrow at the fact that Uryuu isn't exactly flying into a righteous rage.

"H-he took me by surprise!" declares Uryuu as he feels his cheeks heating. "I wasn't expecting that kind of attack!"

"That's 'cause it wasn't an attack, Lovely, but an _invitation_."

"Well, I decline!"

"Never mind all that! Ishida, are you hurt?"

"No."

"If I wanted to hurt the pretty lil' thing, he'd be bleedin' by now."

"You shut the hell up," Kurosaki yells with a fist clenching in white robes. "If you take off like that again, I'll—"

"You'll _what_? Slice me in half? Cut my heart out? You know as well as I do that you can't end me without killin' yourself, too. That's what the shopkeeper said, ain't it? So, don't go bossin' me around like ya own me, Deathberry."

"What is he talking about, Kurosaki?"

Gritting his teeth in agitation, he gazes at Uryuu over his shoulder without releasing his hold on the Hollow.

"Urahara. He's talking about something Urahara-san told us earlier tonight, right before this asshole took off and jumped straight into a nest of trouble."

"Ah, what's wrong with a bit of nighttime hunting?"

"You know we're supposed to stick together, that's what's wrong!" The Hollow turns away with a petulant frown and Kurosaki addresses Uryuu with legitimate explanation at last, "I was making the rounds, as usual, when I came across a funny-looking Arrancar. It didn't seem to know who I was, so I figured it'd be an easy fight but I didn't bank on it having special abilities."

"I find it hard to believe there is a Hollow in existence that could take you at this point," Uryuu dryly comments with arms folded over his chest.

"Yeah, that's what I thought until it nicked me with a mace that felt like a high-voltage shock. It knocked me on my ass and the next thing I know, one of my swords is missing and this jerk is standing beside me."

"Don't act like ya weren't happy to see me," teases said jerk.

"So he takes a swing at our foe and finishes him off despite me insisting we should _capture_ him instead and figure out how his power works."

"Such unprecedented foresight."

"Yeah, whatever," he snaps at Uryuu due to a long night's mounting irritation. "At any rate, I'm sure you can guess the rest. Urahara-san hadn't heard of any other cases like it but he seemed fairly confident it's temporary."

"That degree of magic would require mass amounts of reiatsu to force any kind of permanence," Uryuu agrees. Granted access to some of Seireitei's logs, he has become a mortal forerunner in terms of their historical and theoretical knowledge reservoir. "Even someone with your considerable assets would have trouble managing it."

"That's what Urahara said. According to his theory, there are rare types of attacks that can divide a person into opposites like weak and strong, good and evil, or smart and stupid. That way the more vulnerable of the pair can be nabbed and the other one will automatically succumb without its counterpart. He thinks as long as the two of us stay close it'll wear off within a few days."

"Small mercies."

"That's not very nice, Uryuu. 'Specially after we hit it off so well. You don't want me to disappear so soon, do ya?"

"Don't call me Uryuu! Listen, you caught me off guard once but it won't be happening again," he berates the Hollow. Then his eyes uncertainly bounce between Yin and Yang with the beginnings of a horrifying question. "Kurosaki, why did he ki—why would he do something _like that_ to me in the first place? I seem to remember your Hollow being bent on violence much more than amorous endeavors; I have the scars to prove it."

Kurosaki opens his mouth to offer some manner of response but his doppelganger breaks free of the loosened hold to push past him and invade Uryuu's space once more.

"Sorry about that, by the way," he smooth-talks with half-lidded eyes and a full-on smirk. "We were in the middle of a war and things got sorta crazy. Y'know what it's like. How's about you forgive 'n forget, yeah? 'Cause I'm lookin' to get on your good side."

Since he doesn't know how to react to that, Uryuu keeps his mouth shut and pretends it didn't happen. But it seems Kurosaki isn't willing to provide an answer for him, either. Noticing himself under scrutiny, he shrugs and avoids Uryuu's gaze.

"How should I know what this freak is thinking? I can't even sense his stupid spirit pressure well enough to track him. Ask _him_ why he kissed you."

Uryuu makes the mistake of allowing himself to be swallowed up in that golden gaze again. It inspires a brand new kind of apprehension that he never imagined before. One which is accompanied by a subtle series of whispers suggesting the inevitable assault might be something he should anticipate rather than dread. He subconsciously takes a step back, only to discover that he is still right up against the tree.

"Forget it. Now that the crisis is over, I'm going home. I have a lecture to attend in four hours."

"Wait, Ishida, I have one more favor to ask you."

"What is it?" he sighs, feeling bone-weary from the night's events. Uryuu really isn't looking forward to going back to sleep only to have more Hollow-fueled nightmares. Kurosaki licks his lips and almost fidgets. "Spit it out, would you? I'm tired."

"Can we stay at your place tonight?"

He and the Hollow both fall motionless in light of Kurosaki's absurd request, but for very different reasons. Uryuu can feel his blood pressure rising in tandem with the Hollow's delight.

"Absolutely not! Why would you even ask such a thing? I won't be subjected to another second of this madness!"

On that note, he zips away before Kurosaki voices the childish whining Uryuu can see etched on his features. He reaches his doorstep in record time and throws open the door he didn't bother locking earlier. It slams as he is walking into his bedroom and he collapses face-first to the rumpled sheets. Allowing himself a single cathartic groan of relief, he draws the covers up and resolves not to move again until his phone's alarm goes off.

About twenty minutes later, he is on the verge of drifting into blissful oblivion when he hears a barrage of banging on his front door. Kurosaki plus minion can be sensed lurking on the other side. Uryuu curses under his breath and pulls the pillow over his head to muffle the loud calls that follow.

" _Come on, Ishida, let us stay for a few days? There's nowhere else we can go. I can't let this heathen anywhere near my family_!"

" _I resent that, Ichigo._ "

" _I don't give a fuck. It's your fault he won't let us in! Why'd you have to grab him like that?_ "

" _Oh, I think you know._ "

"Be quiet, both of you!" he throws the pillow aside to bellow. "If you wake my neighbors and get me fined, I'll send you straight to Soul Society!"

" _He sounds serious, King. Maybe we should shack up with the big guy instead._ "

" _No way. Chad has the wrong kind of power to keep you in check and you know it. I'm not subjecting Inoue to your wily antics, either. At least Ishida's fast enough to dodge your misguided advances...in theory._ "

Leaping out of bed to stomp angrily into the living room, he says, "I heard that, Kurosaki! Get off my porch and find someone else to bother. How many times do I have to say 'no'? The next word out of either of you and I'm skipping the warning shot to aim straight for the heart."

Uryuu is about to turn around and crawl beneath his comforter when he watches the Hollow effortlessly phase through the wall and flash him a crooked smile. While Kurosaki observes the absence and reacts noisily outside, his Hollow readies another of those 'misguided advances'. It occurs to him that he should really summon his bow and use it—by the gods, he has every right—but the way the Hollow flicks his tongue along a sharp canine and lifts an arm to herd him against the wall has Uryuu hesitating.

"You strike me as the type who likes to be chased, Uryuu. Lucky for you, I'm the type who enjoys a nice, rousing hunt."

Lips seek his for the second time tonight. True to his word, Uryuu will not be captured so easily again. He tilts his head to deflect the kiss that lands on his cheek instead. Strong fingers dig into his jaw to hold him still for a third attempt. So, Uryuu throws a solid strike laced with reiatsu in a mild imitation of Yoruichi's signature style. It lands with a dull _thud_ that echoes the front door hitting the wall as Kurosaki—back in his mortal body with an overnight bag on his shoulder—kicks it down. The Hollow reels back with a wince.

"Damn it, what did he do this time?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle. What did _you_ do to my door?"

"Nothing I can't fix," he sheepishly mumbles. "I thought he was attacking you again."

"I was," claims the Hollow as he wipes a thin trickle of blood from the corner of his perpetually smirking mouth. "Apparently, the Quincy can hold his own. Helluva a turn-on!"

Taken aback at such inappropriate praise, Uryuu really does materialize his spirit weapon and aims it at Kurosaki's scowling face.

"Both of you get out of my apartment. Now."

"We can't do that, Ishida. You're our only option. What will it take for you to put up with us for a little while?"

"Hmm, I don't know. What could you possibly offer that would make arguing with you and fending off sexual harassment from him for the better part of a week worth the hassle?"

"Damn, when you put it like that..."

"Exactly. If you understand, then go."

"Even so, we have to stay. I need to know someone else is around to help protect bystanders if this lunatic gets wayward notions of grandeur. You're the only one with the perfect abilities to combat a Hollow. You're the only one strong enough, the only one I trust to back me up."

Further protests fall by the wayside at Kurosaki's earnest words. Uryuu finds himself returning the serious gaze and wavering on his reply. Then the Hollow ruins it.

"How heart-warming. But ya know, even though I wanna tap that ass, it won't stop me from spanking it hard if he gets in my way."

Kurosaki's jaw drops and Uryuu blushes with his entire being.

"Will you give it a fucking rest, already? Ishida's not into it, man. Are you saying this shit just to piss him off, or what? If you're going to be like this all the time, maybe we're better off begging Urahara for a room..."

"One of us has to be man enough to say what we're both thinkin'. If you won't do it, I'll hafta pick up the slack and do all the flirtin'. Besides, Uryuu hasn't actually said he ain't into it. All this complainin', that's just a front." Kurosaki looks at Uryuu, who glares at the Hollow, who smiles and waggles his eyebrows as if any of this proves his point. "All right, I'll quit for the night if that makes you feel better. I'll be good so Uryuu won't shut us out in the cold."

To emphasize this, he gives a fake shiver and goes to collapse on the sofa. The Hollow props his feet up and shuts his eyes as though getting ready for a nap. Uryuu doesn't buy it for a second. This leaves him with a reticent Kurosaki, refusing to look directly at Uryuu for some reason.

"To say I'll owe you one doesn't really cover it, huh?"

"Not really, no." Staring at Kurosaki's defeated posture for a long moment, he takes pity and relents. "Shut the door. I'll bring out a couple of spare blankets."

"Eh, seriously?"

"Just for tonight, only because I'm too tired to keep arguing. And if your Hollow tries anything—"

"He won't, I'll make sure of it. Thanks, Ishida."

The shy smile Kurosaki shows him looks nothing like his feral double's confident leer.


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

* * *

Something smells wonderful. Spicy like ginger and fresh like oranges. Uryuu draws in a deeper whiff and breathes out slowly. He is feeling relaxed yet invigorated. A gentle, feathery stirring low in his stomach makes him hum in appreciation of such a pleasant awakening. It has been a very long time since he had one.

"That's right, baby," whispers a familiar voice from the vicinity of his belly button, "Tell me how good it feels."

Whipping his head up to find none other than Kurosaki's Hollow crouched above and pressing light kisses all over his abs, Uryuu cries out in surprise and scurries away from the intruder. He pushes his lifted shirt back down and yanks the blanket up to cover himself for good measure.

"What are you doing in my bed!?"

"Waking you up in the best possible way: by going down on you."

"I didn't ask for that!"

"It's my way of saying 'thanks for having us'."

"That is not necessary," Uryuu firmly states. "Where's Kurosaki?"

"In the shower. Can't you smell that ridiculous shampoo he uses? Now that the guard dog's gone..." Crawling on all-fours, the Hollow gives him _the eye_ and starts forward with the clear intention to continue where they left off. "We can finally have some alone time. No need to pretend with me, Uryuu. I know ya want it."

"You know no such thing! And I thought I told you not to call me that," he snaps with a menacing raise of his glowing bracelet. "Back off, _Hollow_."

"Ouch. After everything I've done for this world, this is how I'm treated? Ichigo couldn't've kept savin' everyone without my help, y'know."

Pondering that for a beat, Uryuu feels a pinch of remorse. It's true he never bothered asking for a name.

"Okay. Fair point. If you don't want to be called 'Hollow', then tell me your name."

"Ain't got one."

"Everyone has a name."

"Not me. Technically, I'm part of Zangetsu, but so is the essence of that megalomaniac you were understudy for in the Blood War."

"What would you like to be called, then?" This evokes a disinterested shrug. Uryuu's eyes trace carefully over the Hollow's features as he thinks. "You're a perfect contrast with Kurosaki but essentially the same entity. Kurosaki in reverse. Darkness to his light, yet also light to his darkness...How about 'Shirosaki'?"

The Hollow blinks twice and almost seems to perk his ears at the appellation. The corners of his mouth reluctantly twitch into the first genuine smile Uryuu has seen him give, there but for an instant before it morphs into a more seductive version. He leans in close and brushes deathly pale lips against Uryuu's cheek.

"I guess it doesn't suck," officially dubbed Shirosaki says, "Unlike me."

He is confused for a beat, then he gets it because Shirosaki tugs the blanket away and tucks his fingers into the waistline of Uryuu's pajama pants and begins to pull.

"Stop that!"

"Not again," Kurosaki groans, emerging fully-dressed from the bathroom in a cloud of steam. "I leave you alone for ten minutes..."

He can't say he begrudges Kurosaki's timing as he goes around the side of the bed to tear Shirosaki from him. Although he could do without the man's awkward expression as Uryuu straightens his rumpled clothes.

"What time is it?" Uryuu asks by way of changing the subject. "I have an early class."

"Eight fifteen," supplies Kurosaki.

" _What_? But my alarm—"

"I turned it off."

"Shirosaki!"

"Is that what you're calling him?" Uryuu forgoes answering in favor of scrambling to get ready for the class he is probably going to be late for. Kurosaki continues to muse aloud on his own. "Black and white. A play on words, huh? I like it."

"Me too."

"Shoulda picked something that reflects how annoying he is, though."

"Hey!"

"Will you two please shut up and leave so I can get dressed?"

To his immense surprise, they do. Kurosaki even closes the door behind them. Must be a full moon, Uryuu dismisses. He throws on the first outfit his hands touch and gathers his things in a rush. If he leaves in the next five minutes, he might just make it in time. Of course he walks into the living room to find his unwanted house guests verbally sparring.

"You are _not_ going to make me miss all my classes. Why can't you be a little less selfish for a change?"

"'Cause it's boring as fuck, that's why. There are so many better things to do than hang around you all day."

"Ugh, somebody kill me now..."

The problem is apparent without having to ask. Uryuu glances at his phone for the time and frowns. The chances that he can get them to leave without resolving this latest spat are worse than nil. He _really_ doesn't want to establish a mediator role between them. On the other hand, if Uryuu is late his professor will dock him attendance points and he can't have that.

"Shirosaki," interjects Uryuu into their brief silence. The Hollow moves to stand before him in an instant. "Would you agree to stay with Kurosaki for the rest of the day and cause a minimum amount of trouble as a favor to me?"

"Mmm, doubt it."

"What if I promise to do something nice for you later?"

"Uh, Ishida, I wouldn't..."

"Hell yeah!" proclaims an intrigued Shirosaki before he can take it back. "I can be a good boy for a tasty treat."

"Then let's go."

Uryuu offers a ride that Kurosaki accepts after making Shirosaki promise to meet them at the university without destroying anything or attacking anyone on the way. Even though the trip is short, the silence between them stings. So many things are going unsaid for the sake of avoiding unpleasantness. Years of dubious friendship couldn't prepare them for this kind of ordeal. All Uryuu wants to hear is the Hollow's behavior isn't based on any latent feelings neither of them is prepared to talk about.

"You don't have to indulge him like that."

"Hm?"

"Shirosaki. He's manipulative, and cleverer than me. He'll use you if you let him."

"I can handle your Hollow, Kurosaki, even if you can't."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Uryuu sighs, unwilling to spark another debate. "I'm trying to say I appreciate your concern but you don't have to worry about me."

"I know I don't have to worry and that you can handle him, but you shouldn't have to. I'm the reason you have to put up with it, the least I can do is keep him from raping you."

It is said so casually but still manages to create a thick ripple of tension in the car.

Uryuu quietly says, "It won't come to that."

"Why, because you're going to _let_ him fuck you?" Applying the brakes too severely, Uryuu throws the car into park in the lot and rounds on him but Kurosaki is already apologizing. "Shit, I'm sorry, Ishida. I didn't mean that. It's just that it almost seems like...you're only pretending not to want it. It sounds so stupid to say that out loud."

"That's because it _is_ stupid, Kurosaki."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"We're here: get out."

"Okay."

Reaching for his bag behind the seat, Uryuu doesn't look up when the door opens and shuts. From his peripheral vision, he sees Kurosaki pause outside the car and stare at him for a long moment before striding off. Uryuu grips his keys tightly, making jagged impressions in his palm with the unyielding bite of metal.

* * *

Halfway through his chemistry lab assignment, Kurosaki texts him a request to have lunch. He seriously considers declining but sends the address anyway. Ten minutes later, he and his tag-along join Uryuu at the campus-adjacent cafe that has long been one of his favorite study spots. Kurosaki walks through the entrance and quickly spots him toward the back in a quiet booth by the corner.

"Where's your ward?" Uryuu asks when he gets within earshot.

"Right here."

Shirosaki slides through the wall from outside and takes the seat beside him, laughing when Uryuu scoots away to put more distance between them. Kurosaki plops across from them with a weary sigh and throws his bag next to him. Sympathizing with his plight, Uryuu wordlessly offers up the packet of chips that came with his sandwich. He takes it with a grunt of thanks and starts crunching immediately. In the meantime, Shirosaki is leaning over his lab notebook with an interested hum.

"Why did you leave this one blank? I can give you the answer for the low, low price of a little kiss," he bargains with a wide grin. "See this formula? You use the mass of this element from the spectrometer results to calculate the—"

"I'm sure I'll manage without your assistance, thank you," interrupts Uryuu before he owes any debts. "Since when are you a chemist?"

Shirosaki sits back with a lazy shrug, "I know everything Ichigo knows, even if he forgets. Even the things he tries to _repress_."

Refusing to rise to the bait, Kurosaki rolls his eyes and continues chewing without comment.

"Somehow I find it harder to believe _you_ are the expert."

"I took that course last semester," he mumbles to Uryuu. "I liked mass spectrometry."

"Really? In that case, would you mind taking a look at this graph?"

"What're you askin' him for, Uryuu? I said I'd give you the solution."

"Yes, but unlike you, Kurosaki isn't charging unreasonable fees for his help."

"Tch," the Hollow scoffs with curled lip, "He would if he had any sense."

Kurosaki looks at him as if to say, 'do you see what I'm dealing with?' Mirroring his sigh, Uryuu tucks his books away and resigns himself to finish this later. They have three more hours to get through before they can get Shirosaki away from campus. Three more hours to keep him from unleashing chaos with nothing but the promise for Uryuu to 'do something nice' for him later. What in the world possessed him to volunteer such an undefined favor? Perhaps it isn't too late to get out of it.

"Aside from irritating the hell out of you, has Shirosaki been behaving himself?"

"Amazingly, yeah, he has."

A hint of foreboding enters his tone as he shoots Uryuu a meaningful glance because they both know what it means.

"That's...good," he lies. "Maybe your souls will merge together sooner if you're getting along better."

"Maybe we'll merge tonight," Kurosaki adds with a hopeful expression.

Then Shirosaki cuts in with, "Only if you play your cards right."

And Uryuu isn't sure if that was meant to be a proposition directed at him or Kurosaki. It's unsettling either way and effectively throws them into a disturbed silence. Shirosaki uses the break to sneak a hand into Uryuu's lap, fingers gently squeezing just above the knee. He pushes it away but it comes right back, as expected, sliding dangerously higher until Uryuu is forced to grip that wandering hand and hold tight.

"Stop that," he hisses, tipping off Kurosaki to the fray.

"Ishida, I give you permission to use whatever Quincy moves necessary to teach him a lesson. Just try not to kill him."

Feigning innocence, Shirosaki acts like he hasn't just twisted his wrist so their palms are pressed together with fingers entwining. It is the first time Uryuu has held hands with anyone since he was a small child. He isn't sure he likes it, strange as it feels. Although he isn't sure he hates it, either. Yet, he would rather stay this way if it means Shirosaki will quit trying to give him a crotch massage in public.

A slight decrease in tension from Uryuu's posture does not go unnoticed by Kurosaki, who raises a suspicious eyebrow and leans forward in curiosity. His face pales to see the chaste connection. No one comments on this development.

One of the cafe servers walks over to greet Kurosaki and ask for his order. Realizing how odd it would look if the young woman happened to notice his seemingly empty hand curled in this position, Uryuu tries to pull out of it. Of course, Shirosaki doesn't make it that easy. Tucking it behind his back is also not allowed. So he drags both of their hands on top of his lap and hides them with the free one.

The entire time this farce is going on, Kurosaki is attempting to politely deflect the girl while fighting the urge to laugh at Uryuu's struggle. As soon as she retreats, Kurosaki loses the battle and muffles his snickering against a fist. Uryuu throws a coffee creamer cup at his head.

"If you wanted my hand back in your lap, all ya had to do was say so."

"When I want your hands anywhere near my body, I'll check into a mental institution!"

"Ooh, kinky!"

Feeling a vein pop on his forehead, Uryuu snaps, "You're going to have to find someone else for him to pester tonight, Kurosaki. I've had enough."

At that, he jerks his arm free of the tenacious hold and grabs his school bag to leave. All humor drains from Kurosaki's face and he pursues Uryuu out of the busy cafe.

"Wait, Ishida, don't say that! I'm sorry I laughed, okay? Having to put up with his antics all day, it was kind of funny watching someone else experience it for a change."

"Keep your schadenfreude to yourself."

"My what?"

"I'm saying 'fuck off', Kurosaki. Is that simple enough for you to understand? You're asking too much!"

He grabs Uryuu to tug him to a halt just after they round a corner between buildings, quickly letting go with a placating gesture before he can be shoved away.

"I know it's too much. You don't owe me anything. I won't blame you if your decision holds but...I'm begging you, all right? I can't handle him by myself and judging by the things he says, Shirosaki won't put up with anyone else. He tried to duel with Urahara-san! Besides, everything I said last night still stands. I need _you_ for this, Ishida. Please."

Staring into imploring eyes does nothing to firm his resolution to refuse. It's been a long time since Uryuu felt needed for anything. A nagging guilt floods him at the thought that Kurosaki is one of his closest friends, for all the posturing they still do to suggest the opposite. Not to mention it is a rare day indeed that he begs anyone for anything, much less Uryuu's help specifically. He didn't know Kurosaki was even capable of such humility. But babysitting that Hollow is just...

Taking a breath to give his answer, Uryuu's eyes widen as he senses a familiar flare of reiatsu across town. He grips Kurosaki's arm without hesitation and glances around to make sure they won't be seen vanishing.

"It's Shirosaki. Come on."

They find him in the process of dispatching two Hollow near a cluster of warehouses. Uryuu lands in time to watch the first dissipate midair. Shirosaki calls a word of greeting to them as he performs a graceful back flip, beheading the second at their feet. Slinging the blade to holster at his back, he strides over and beams with accomplishment.

"How's that for a mercy kill?"

"What are you doing out here?" Kurosaki angrily starts. "You know you're not supposed to go solo. That was part of the deal."

"But I took those Hollow out for ya," he argues, "And I didn't play with 'em or nothin'."

"A breach is a breach. Ishida, looks like you're off the hook."

"No!"

"Even if you mean well, you have to keep in mind that we are responsible for your actions," Uryuu reasons before Shirosaki throws a tantrum. "Notify one of us next time instead of going on your own."

Kurosaki turns to stare at him in surprise. "'We'? 'Next time'? Does this mean you'll agree to help?"

"Well, you don't leave me much choice," he complains, adjusting his glasses to hide his eyes, "What kind of person would I be to turn you down after that saccharine speech?"

"Ichigo, you smooth-talker! We get to go home with Uryuu? I knew you weren't a complete waste of space."

He wants to remind Shirosaki not to use his given name, _again_ , but he already knows it's a lost cause. Instead, he lets an arrow do the talking as he looses it to pierce the Hollow's shoulder. Even an intentionally weak shot forces a pained shout and summons a healthy bloom of blood. Kurosaki gapes at him for having the gall to fire in the first place.

"That is what you should expect every time you choose to break the rules, Shirosaki. Do I make myself clear?"

For a tense moment, they await the infuriated Hollow's reaction. Uryuu is ready for a skirmish if it comes to that but he has an inkling it won't. Shirosaki snarls as he clamps a hand to the welling wound. Then he meets fierce blue eyes and nods once. Kurosaki relaxes beside him and starts to ask an incredulous question but Uryuu is already stepping forward with a reishi capsule. He flicks it against Shirosaki's shoulder and murmurs a short spell in German. A surprised golden gaze locks onto Uryuu as the flesh knits and heals in seconds. He cautiously rotates the joint, testing its range for constraints and exhaling slowly when there are none.

"You know healing techniques now?" blurts an equally stunned Kurosaki.

"Yes. Enough to handle minor injuries, at any rate. Amazing what you can learn when you bother to study. One would think you could at least use _Hirenkyaku_ by now."

"How am I supposed to learn anything about Quincy abilities when the only Quincy I know barely speaks to me most of the time? Did you forget about that time I asked you to teach me and you 'disrespectfully declined'?"

"As if one of your very first mentors isn't an aficionado. Urahara-san probably knows more about our people than I do."

"Yeah, and do you know how much he wanted to charge me per lesson? Anyway, I'd be the idiot you always label me if I didn't prefer instruction from a so-called _prodigy_. Didn't you master most of the traditional abilities on your own before you even met me?"

"This lover's spat is cute and all, but aren't you two missing a class?"

Checking the time on his phone, Kurosaki curses under his breath to see the Hollow is right. Uryuu holds out his hand without being asked. Kurosaki takes it and they appear back on campus behind the liberal arts building where no one ever hangs out due to perpetual paint fumes. They disengage and start to walk separate ways to make lecture in time. Uryuu notes Shirosaki's telltale spirit joining Kurosaki's within moments.

* * *

Uryuu tries to focus on his professor's words, he really does.

He follows along on the PowerPoint handouts and takes detailed notes. The students around him wouldn't dare doubt his focus. In actuality, he is running on autopilot while his mind goes over and over the situation with Kurosaki and his displaced Hollow. Particularly the question of what will happen this evening when they meet up at Uryuu's apartment again.

Given what he has observed of Shirosaki's personality, he isn't about to accept that he forfeited his reward when he stole away to deal with those Hollow at lunch. Then again, Uryuu already disciplined him for that bit of insubordination, technically. Is it really fair to punish him twice? The better question is: can Uryuu deliver on his side of the promise knowing what Shirosaki wants from him?

The issue can't be avoided anymore. Either Uryuu is comfortable with the idea of Shirosaki being attracted to him, or he isn't. There is no middle ground. So, he lets himself consider it. Uryuu nibbles at the end of his pen as he recalls what it was like to have the Hollow's power coursing into him through their contact. That's one thing he never planned on telling Kurosaki: how much of a rush it is whenever they touch. He always figured it was just an energy cycle thing, like charging a low battery. Apparently, he was very wrong about that. While Shirosaki's reiatsu is different in many ways, it is essentially similar enough to elicit the same response.

Fingers trace idly over the open page of his notebook as he remembers paper-white lips pressing against his. Had it really been so awful? For all his protesting after the fact, Uryuu isn't sure he really disliked the experience as much as he should have. Does that mean he wouldn't mind allowing more than a kiss? Envisioning a scenario where Shirosaki is granted the kind of access he sought this morning, Uryuu bites into his bottom lip and feels his blood heat.

Another problem is how Kurosaki doesn't seem to approve of his Hollow's intentions. Would he be angry if Uryuu ceased to thwart Shirosaki's advances? Or has he just been protecting Uryuu's honor out of principle all along? He was fairly relaxed at the cafe, laughing at his distress when Shirosaki kept trying to feel him up under the table. Kurosaki shouldn't get a say in the matter if he's going to be that immature.

So why is Uryuu desperate to know what he thinks about it?

Because despite how deeply he buried it, Uryuu has had these kinds of thoughts about Kurosaki before. Briefly, in moments of panic and moments of calm. From times they've fought together and times they've lingered quietly in the same room. He recalls reasoning the inclinations away as trivial mistakes, temporary insanity, or reluctant admiration. Hiding them so far from his conscious musings that even dreams were off limits. It just wasn't worth risking their friendship to go there. Yet, if things continue as he predicts, Uryuu will have to figure out what he wants and make a choice.

Which brings him right back to his original dilemma, further complicated by the fact that the man he _might_ want more than friendship with is currently divided into two functional beings. Then Uryuu has to backpedal fast because his mind is all too eager to explore the possibilities of being with both men at once. It's wrong on so many levels but that doesn't keep him from imagining it.

Suddenly he is thrown into a vivid fantasy involving the three of them in his bedroom and—Uryuu nearly falls out of the seat when his phone vibrates in his pocket. Suspecting he has been caught via some weird psychic ability Kurosaki never told him about, Uryuu is relieved to find it is only Sado-kun asking if he wants to study tonight. He answers with a resounding 'no, thanks' on account of his anticipated company.

Uryuu tries to go back to focusing on his professor's words. He really, really does.


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

* * *

"What is all this?"

"Uh, well, I made dinner and Shirosaki cleaned up a bit. Not that there was much to clean since you're freakishly neat."

"You have your Hollow running domestic errands now?"

"Hey, he volunteered. Said something about earning his reward back...Besides, it's the least we should do."

Arriving late due to having an extra class that Kurosaki didn't, he walked in to the tempting aroma of well-prepared food and the startling spectacle of a spotless apartment. Shirosaki is deftly wielding a feather duster to eliminate pesky dust particles in the living room. Kurosaki has a blue dish towel slung over a shoulder and a white spatula in his hand. One word stands out as he takes it all in: creepy. It feels like he just stepped into a Stepford universe and he'll discover the eerily helpful duo is secretly pre-programmed androids.

Then Shirosaki steals a bite of chicken from the serving bowl while Kurosaki yells at him, and Uryuu dimly opens his mouth to accept the offered morsel for lack of higher brain function at the moment. Shirosaki guides him to sit at the table in the living room and Kurosaki brings out the food. Rather than continue to pose questions he doesn't really need the answers to, Uryuu accepts the bowl passed to him and joins Kurosaki in eating the meal.

"Kurosaki, this is exceptional. Can I have the recipe?"

"Sure. Remind me to email it to you later."

Nodding at that, he looks up and realizes Shirosaki isn't partaking. It stands to reason that a spiritual being wouldn't need physical sustenance, but he has to replenish his reiatsu somehow. Uryuu wonders if Hollow can starve or if they continue to grow weaker until they inevitably get eaten by a stronger monster. They won't let that happen to Shirosaki, of course, but the notion that he could be suffering somehow because of it has him worrying.

"Do you need...anything? Maybe Urahara-san could—"

"I'm peachy," he assures Uryuu, easily catching onto his train of thought. "I may be separated from Ichigo but I'm still suckin' energy from him as usual."

"Don't make it sound like I'm some kind of cow!"

"I was thinkin' of it more like I'm the vampire and you're the hapless victim," Shirosaki grins, flashing his canines. "Anyway, seeing you eat is good enough for me, Uryuu. I like watching you put things in your mouth."

Thanks to that tidbit, Uryuu almost chokes on his rice and Kurosaki snorts into his cup of water, splashing some onto his shirt. Making a connection he previously missed, Uryuu promptly turns to the guest blotting at his spill with a carefully blank expression.

"Wow. For him to keep coming up with these cheesy one-liners, you must have an _incredibly_ dirty mind."

While Kurosaki blazes with embarrassment, Shirosaki cackles because he knows it's true. His retort is frail and slow to manifest.

"I don't know what you're laughing about, Ishida just called you 'cheesy'."

"Actually, he called the products of your 'dirty mind' cheesy."

"How pathetic does that make you, limited to recycling the cheesy products of my dirty mind?"

This infantile bickering continues for most of the meal. Uryuu is content to be left out of it. Plus, he has to admit it's not the worst form of dinner entertainment. Until it escalates with Kurosaki flinging a couch pillow and Shirosaki reaching past Uryuu to smack his opponent in the back of the head. Opting to remain neutral, he sets down his empty bowl and gets up to go take a nice, quiet shower in the privacy of his bathroom.

The din has died down by the time he emerges clean and dressed in fresh pajamas. Heading straight to his room, Uryuu flicks off the light, shuts the door, and climbs straight into bed—damp hair be damned. It has been a very long day on insufficient sleep and he is beyond fed up with the never-ending banter of his so-called friends. His breaths begin to lengthen almost immediately.

Uryuu smothers a growl when someone knocks on his door. He sits up ready to tell off whoever it is but pauses at the somber look on Kurosaki's face as he cautiously peers inside.

"What is it?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute, away from him?" Uryuu hums permission and gestures for him to sit on the side of the bed. "I just want to say 'thank you'. Even though I pretty much forced you into this. I really appreciate it, Ishida, more than you realize."

"Well, I'm not doing it for free. You're going to owe me so many favors..."

Kurosaki laughs, "Yeah, I guess I will."

"Including chemistry homework help whenever I need it."

"Which will be never."

"You'll be teaching me all the delicious chicken recipes you know."

"I have all of two in my culinary arsenal."

"Be my living mannequin when I'm designing men's clothes."

"Only if you're okay with seeing me mostly naked."

Both pairs of eyes widen and shy from each other. He knows Kurosaki said it as a joke but it serves to dredge up the inappropriate sentiments he was feeling all afternoon. Uryuu starts to say something, he isn't sure what, when Shirosaki barges into the room and dives onto the bed right between them.

"Slumber party?" he asks, yellow eyes glowing in the near-darkness. "Is that my reward for shadowin' this loser all day?"

"I don't think so."

"Hmm, comin' from you that's practically a 'yes'."

"It means 'no', Shirosaki. Now get out," clarifies Kurosaki on his behalf.

"Not 'til I hear it from Uryuu."

"Fine. Tell him, Ishida."

Since he is too busy scrubbing his hands over his face and resisting the impulse to tear at his hair, Uryuu doesn't respond fast enough for Shirosaki. He reads the momentary hush as uncertainty, inspiring him to slide close without touching.

"Lemme share your bed this once? I swear I won't try anythin'."

"Ugh," groans Uryuu for lack of a better term.

"You're not seriously considering this, are you?" Kurosaki demands. "He can't be trusted; I would know."

Raising a hand with jet-black fingernails to rest over the covered hole in his chest, Shirosaki says, "On my total lack of a human heart, I vow not to get frisky with Uryuu tonight."

"Yeah, because bringing up the fact that you're inhuman is going to win you points here."

"Shut up, both of you!" They fall silent, as ordered, and stare at Uryuu for the outcry. "Shirosaki, you can stay—"

" _What_!?"

"Yes!"

"But if you so much as look at me wrong, I won't just shoot a hole through your shoulder, I'll take the _whole arm_. And I won't heal it, either."

"This is crazy! I can't let you do this." Watching Shirosaki dive beneath the covers and get comfortable seems to flip a type of switch in Kurosaki, reflected in his stoic expression. "Scoot over, Ishida."

"What?"

"If you're letting him stay, I'm staying, too. This way even if he attacks, I'll be nearby to fend him off."

"That shouldn't be necessa—"

Leaning in to snatch Uryuu's wrist, he lifts it between their faces to emphasize the silver pendant dangling there.

"All he has to do is get this away from you and you're basically defenseless. I told you he's clever and sly. I told you not to drop your guard no matter what. I told you I'll protect you from him, so let me do that _._ "

Uryuu swallows against a knot in his throat caused by those words. He could argue that Kurosaki is just as defenseless inside his mortal body and the substitute badge is even easier to swipe. It would only prompt him to switch to Shinigami form, though, creating a third iteration of him to take up space in Uryuu's apartment. More importantly, he understands Kurosaki's desire to provide insurance against the burden he placed on another's shoulders to begin with.

"Fine," he says in a small voice, "You can stay, too."

Shirosaki grumbles, "Now it really is a slumber party..."

* * *

 _The ocean is a smothering black all around him. There is no light this deep, but he doesn't feel cold. In fact, the water bears the warmth of a tropical shore. It presses in at him from every direction at once. Uryuu thinks he shouldn't be able to breathe, but he finds his lungs filling with air to speak. He calls out to anyone around him and hopes for anything but a dreaded shark._

 _Soon an orange shape drifts close enough to discern. Uryuu swims to meet what turns out to be an octopus, long appendages flowing elegantly in the current._

 _"_ _Can you help me?" he asks it, "I don't belong here."_

 _"_ _Where do you want to go?"_

 _"_ _I need to find the surface, toward sunlight. I don't like the darkness..."_

 _"_ _But the dark can be such fun!"_

 _The voice belongs to a second, silver octopus gliding into view. It reaches out to touch Uryuu's face in greeting, the suckers on its tentacle sparking a startling sensation. Agitated by the intrusion, the orange creature pushes at the newcomer. Uryuu tries not to laugh as their arms become inextricably tangled. They settle down eventually and turn to him again._

 _"_ _We'll lead you to the surface," says the orange octopus._

 _"_ _If that's what you really want," agrees the silver one._

 _"_ _It is. Thank y—"_

 _He cries out as his only friends are swallowed up by a ravenous shark right before his eyes. The shout destroys whatever magic allowed him to breathe underwater and his lungs fill with brackish, cold liquid. He starts slowly sinking further into the bottomless gloom. Suddenly Uryuu knows for absolute certain that the circling shark will devour him, as well, if he doesn't drown first._

Uryuu hisses a curse as he shakes free of the nightmare's hold. He had really been hoping he would be through with them for a while. It's bad enough he can't figure out what is instigating them without his subconscious adding twisted facets of his daily life into the mix. What the hell was the reason for Kurosaki and Shirosaki being represented as octopi? All things considered, perhaps Uryuu should just be glad it ended in tragedy rather than morphing into some weird tentacle porn scenario...

Opening his eyes to dim early morning light peeking past the curtains, Uryuu figures octopi were fitting analogies after all. Aside from a messy mops of orange and silver hair tickling his face, an arm from each man is wrapped around him in an accidental symmetry. No wonder he is so warm. He can't resist squirming a bit in an attempt to loosen their hold. Kurosaki stirs at his subtle movements.

"Wha's wrong?" he sleep-slurs, blinking at Uryuu in concern.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep."

"Liar. Heart's racing."

Only then does Kurosaki notice the reason he knows this is because his palm is resting over said heart, with Shirosaki's lingering above his belly. He pushes his Hollow's hand away before retracting his own. Considerately unfettered, Uryuu sits up against the wall as Kurosaki props his head on an elbow and patiently waits for elucidation.

"It was just a bad dream."

"Because of us?"

"No. If anything, I think you almost made it into a pleasant dream."

Kurosaki pushes up to match his position, leaning their shoulders together.

"So it _was_ about us."

"I don't want to talk about it." Seeing how his sharp comment makes Kurosaki frown, he takes a long breath and confides, "Sometimes I get these nightmares for days or weeks at a time. I've been having them long before you brought Shirosaki here and I'll likely continue to have them after you both leave."

"What causes them?"

"Who knows? A lifetime of self-reliance and recurrent hardships? Post-traumatic stress from countless battles? Your guess is as good as mine."

"Anything I can do?"

To underscore the sincere question, Kurosaki glances down at their hands lying so close on the mattress. He rotates his wrist and slowly brushes their fingers against each other. Uryuu shakes his head in mute answer, not trusting his voice. Lifting blue eyes to meet brown, he instinctively holds his breath as Kurosaki inches nearer.

"Bet I can think of a few things," Shirosaki volunteers, "Best remedy for night terrors is mornin' bliss."

"Does he ever turn it _off_?" queries an exasperated Uryuu, "Or is he entirely composed of your sex drive?"

"Not entirely," he mutters before addressing the Hollow, "How long have you been awake?"

"Since you called our Quincy a liar." Kurosaki twitches at the disgruntled accusation but doesn't deny it. Readjusting to match their upright postures, Shirosaki continues, "Anyway, can't ya tell Uryuu was waitin' for a kiss just now?"

"What? No, I-I wasn't—"

"Stop saying shit like that, you're making Ishida uncomfortable."

"Well, if you won't do it..."

Light fingertips guide Uryuu to face the Hollow, tilting his head and aiming to claim his mouth at last. Kurosaki reaches out and pushes him away before the kiss ever lands.

"Didn't you swear on your nonexistent heart that you wouldn't make a move?"

"This is different. I'm _comfortin'_ , not seducin' him."

"You don't even know what that means!"

"You're just jealous, Ichigo. He'd let you kiss him, too, if ya tried."

"Why are you so obsessed with kissing!?"

"Please stop fighting." In spite of Uryuu's plea being barely a murmur, they react to it as though it were a shout. Shirosaki even deigns to look remorseful. "You two are never going to sync up enough to reverse this curse if you're constantly at each other's throats. Don't you want to be whole again?"

The two exchange a look. Uryuu glances at each in turn but receives no response. It pisses him off. He slips free of the blanket and leaps from the bed with a burst of energy only righteous anger can bring this early in the day. Pacing his bedroom, he doesn't even try to calm himself down.

"Ishida—"

"You asked for my help, right, Kurosaki? So that you could 'bond' with your Hollow and fix this disaster as soon as possible. Yet, all you do is argue and threaten and snipe at each other all day long! Are you even trying? Why should I bother helping someone who won't help himself?"

"He's got a point, King."

"And you, Shirosaki. If you think for one second that you're not equally at fault here...I don't know why you've decided to target me but there's no chance you haven't realized how much it upsets Kurosaki, never mind me!" The fact that he takes the criticism without complaint has Uryuu reconsidering something. He walks over to the Hollow and says, "You've never had a body of your own, have you? Experiencing the world in a whole new way must be so exhilarating. You don't want to go back."

"No," agrees Shirosaki.

"You want more of what this place has to offer while you have your own body to discover it."

"Yes."

"Above all, you're frustrated that this impromptu vacation has an expiration date."

" _Yes_."

By now those falsely-sinister eyes are glued to him so intently Uryuu doesn't think they'll ever look away. He sits down beside Shirosaki and pulls him closer by the front of his robes until they are nearly nose-to-nose.

"Tell me the one thing you want more above all else before you return to his soul."

Uryuu feels the Hollow's breath stutter out as the yellow of his eyes narrows to a crescent. Whispering his ultimate desire so that Kurosaki won't hear, Shirosaki's pulse picks up with the confession: he wants to be with Uryuu, at least once. It is what he suspected but he had to be sure. Now that Uryuu knows, he must decide what to do about it, along with the insinuations it raises about Kurosaki's true feelings.

"What did he say?"

Ignoring Kurosaki, he acknowledges, "Thank you for telling me."

Unfolding from the bed, he moves to walk away. Shirosaki's grip stops him.

"Uryuu, wait."

"Patience." The Hollow eyes him for a beat before releasing the hold. Uryuu turns to Kurosaki, watching them with mixed emotions. "I'll get breakfast started. Why don't you two chat peaceably while I'm gone?"

In the silence of his kitchen, Uryuu leans elbows against the countertop and takes a few controlled breaths. He wanted to do it. With Shirosaki looking so vulnerable and admitting the one thing he needs more than anything is a night with Uryuu, he wanted to kiss him. Yet, he couldn't do it with Kurosaki sitting right there. He can't do it at all unless he gets the green light from him. And what are the chances of that?

For now, he puts it out of his mind and focuses on making breakfast. The normalcy and routine of it aids in ebbing his anxiety. Soon he is immersed in the process, making mental notes of which groceries he will need to buy this weekend. Since he woke up early this morning a trip to the store today might be prudent. Thinking about the time reminds him that his daily alarm will be going off any minute. Uryuu finishes cooking before wandering into his bedroom to grab his phone and switch off the alarm.

He stops cold in the doorway to see Kurosaki standing beside the bed and staring at the phone resting in a palm.

"Sorry," he tells Uryuu when he notices the company. "It went off so I picked it up..."

The reason Kurosaki has such a dumbfounded look on his face is because of Uryuu's wallpaper. It's an old photo of them from their high school days at a picnic put together by Inoue-san. She was in the middle of passing a bowl of chopped fruit for Sado-kun to take. Kurosaki was struggling to open a package of crackers with fingers damp from condensation on his water bottle. Having just finished slicing a block of cheese, Uryuu was watching him with a small smile unnoticed by all three. It was entirely candid, taken by Kuchiki-san who joined them shortly after.

"No need to apologize, I'm not angry." Granted a pardon, Kurosaki offers up the phone and Uryuu glances at the image before pocketing it. "It's one of my favorite pictures of us, caught in a rare moment of peace. Sometimes when I look at it I can almost believe we're all just normal young adults."

The subtext scrolling across Kurosaki's features—the things he won't say aloud—is that for Uryuu to have this as his wallpaper instead of some generic, photo-shopped landscape it means he still cares about his friends more than he has ever let on. It's irrevocable proof that he isn't half as frigid and stoic as he pretends to be. Ah, well. Kurosaki had to find out sometime. He shows Uryuu a knowing half-smile.

"Yeah, it's a good one. Send it to me?"

"Sure." A quick survey of the room reveals that they are alone. "Where is Shirosaki?"

A cursory search for his reiatsu informs him before Kurosaki says, "On the roof. He said he wants to be alone for a while but he won't go far."

"That's fair, I suppose."

"You're not worried? About what he wants, I mean?"

"He told you?"

"No, but it's not exactly a leap to guess, based on how he acts around you. Are you really going to...grant his wish?"

Choosing to go the evasive route for now, Uryuu changes the subject, "Breakfast is ready. Let's eat while it's warm."

"Ishida," he prompts, catching his arm so he can't escape yet. "You don't have to do it, you know. Even if you feel sorry for him. He's probably manipulating you—"

"He isn't."

Said with confidence, Uryuu meets his worried gaze and affirms the statement with his expression. Kurosaki seems to deflate, letting go and turning around to break contact. If there was ever a time to test the waters, it's this moment. Only problem is he can't figure out how to phrase it in a way that doesn't directly drag Kurosaki's feelings into the equation. How can he ask whether he's fine with Uryuu screwing his Hollow without implying there would be a reason to dissent?

Thankfully, Kurosaki takes the pressure off by conceding to the subject change.

"I'm starving. What did you make?"

They relocate to the living room with the meal Uryuu prepared and dig in. Without Shirosaki's constant presence to serve as a reminder of their predicament, he expects the air to be lighter. The truth is being alone with Kurosaki is almost worse in a couple of ways. The epiphany that he is attracted to Shirosaki ruined his ability to lie about feeling the same for Kurosaki. He finds himself stealing glances at the man placidly chewing next to him and wondering what he would do if Uryuu pushed him against the back of the couch and sealed their mouths together.

Then again, Shirosaki's obsession with him isn't strong enough evidence of Kurosaki's regard to chance it. Just because they are supposed to be two parts of a single person doesn't mean one can't have inclinations opposed by the other.

"I'll see you this evening, Kurosaki. Call me if your Hollow needs his reigns tugged."

"Huh? Where are you going?" Jumping up to follow him to the door, Kurosaki braces a hand against it to keep him inside. "You don't have class this early. Why are you leaving so suddenly?"

"Grocery shopping. Move your hand."

"Then let me go with you. We've been eating your food, so I'll buy this time."

"Subject Shirosaki to the dazzling splendor of our local supermarket? There's a recipe for trouble."

"He can stay here for half an hour."

"I thought you said he can't be trusted."

"He'll do anything you ask," insists Kurosaki with a look that asks why Uryuu is being so difficult. "What's the real reason you're storming off like this?"

"What makes you think I have another reason?"

"Well, you're still wearing your pajamas, for one." Startled, Uryuu glances down to confirm he is indeed donned in a white cotton t-shirt and green cat-patterned pants. "Cute bottoms, by the way."

Glaring in response to Kurosaki's teasing smirk, he strides back into his bedroom and flings open his closet door for a change of clothes. Uryuu hears him walk in and vindictively whips off his shirt to encourage him to leave. Instead, the mattress springs creak behind him. He glances over his shoulder to see Kurosaki seated on his bed with a clear challenge in his eyes.

"Do you mind?"

"By all means, go ahead."

"Kurosaki..."

"I'm not a total idiot, Ishida. The instant I let you out of my sight, you'll dart out a window to avoid telling me whatever it is you're so upset about."

"I'll do no such thing!"

"Then talk to me! Is it Shirosaki? I can make him back off."

"It's not Shirosaki."

He concentrates on flicking between hangers to pick an outfit. Beyond ready to dismiss this conversation, Uryuu longs for the times when neither of them could be bothered to talk about their feelings. What is he supposed to say? 'Actually, Kurosaki, I tried to leave because I wasn't sure I could successfully subvert the compulsion to make out with you during breakfast'? Not likely. Settling on jeans and a button-up, he tenses to discover Kurosaki hovering right behind him.

"If it's not him, it has to be me." Uryuu shakes his head but can't voice his false denial. Kurosaki sighs at his inflexibility and changes tack, "Why haven't you asked me yet?"

"There's nothing to ask. Stand aside."

"The other night, you asked me why he kissed you and I didn't know how to answer because you asked the _wrong_ _question_ , Ishida."

"It doesn't matter, Kurosaki. Let me pass."

Despite his internal debates on this very topic, Uryuu isn't sure he can handle the reality right now. Flirting with the idea of asking is one thing. Having Kurosaki offer it up with such severity is another. He roughly dislodges the human barricade and locks himself in the bathroom to change in peace.

Uryuu is not intercepted on the way out the front door a second time.


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

* * *

"How d'ya make nerdiness so hot, Uryuu?"

The flask he was just carefully swirling slips from his fingers with a gasp. Shirosaki makes up for his sneak attack by catching the chemical-filled glass before it shatters on the floor. He quickly snatches it back, lest his labmates witness an impromptu floating Erlenmeyer trick. Adjusting goggles skewed from the motion, Uryuu straightens to skewer the trickster with a glare.

" _Shirosaki_ ," he hisses without moving his lips, "Go away!"

"Aw, don't be rude, Baby, I just got here."

When his lab partner turns to ask if Uryuu spoke, he points to the graduated cylinder beside her. She hands it over and goes back to her own concoction heating over a healthy Bunsen flame. He scowls to note Shirosaki still watching. Rather than ignore him and hope he'll get bored and leave, Uryuu walks over to the noxious chemicals hood in the corner where no one else resides and pretends to meter out some toluene.

"First, never call me 'Baby'; it's bad enough I let you use my given name without adding disgusting pet-names. Second, don't talk to me in public when you know I'll look like a lunatic conversing with myself. Third, why aren't you attending the advanced physiology seminar with Kurosaki?"

"Booooored."

"That's no excuse!"

"I missed ya."

"Touching, but if you haven't noticed: I'm busy."

"Has Ichigo seen you like this? All suited up in your white coat and plastic goggles?"

"No."

"Lemme borrow your phone. I wanna take a picture so he can see how dorky and _edible_ you look."

"No!"

"Tch. You're no fun."

"Shirosaki, I don't have time for this and you need to be at Kurosaki's side—"

"So we can bond together again as soon as possible," the Hollow snarkily finishes for him, "I know. Can't I pop in to say 'hi' without gettin' yelled at?"

Sensing a definite undertone of genuine disappointment, Uryuu relents. Reminding himself of what he learned this morning encourages him to go easier on Shirosaki now that he understands him better. He can't begin to imagine being in that situation and he damn sure can't say he wouldn't resent it just as much under similar circumstances. Uryuu removes his goggles and takes a step closer to him.

"You're right, I shouldn't snap at you so readily. Aside from breaking off to beat up other Hollow, you've done nothing to warrant such criticism."

"Yeah..." he hesitantly agrees, eyes wary on Uryuu, "You should be praising me for exterminating the vermin around here. 'Bout time someone cleared the infestation."

"That's partially my fault. Seireitei never seems to appoint a competent Shinigami to patrol in this town and they've been relying on the resident Quincy instead. These days I can't patrol as often as I used to, so thanks for your hard work."

"Y-yeah..."

"Even though you're supposed to bring Kurosaki along when you go."

That vaguely reproachful comment breaks Shirosaki's stunned reverie and he switches right back into the bad-boy attitude. He tucks a lock of hair behind Uryuu's ear and darts in to plant a kiss at the corner of his mouth. As he is about to protest, another student wanders over to refill an acid sample, temporarily rendering him mute. Shirosaki gets a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Say 'no' if you don't want me to do that again."

"No," he firmly states.

The girl handling potentially carcinogenic agents jumps and turns to give him a weird look. Apologizing, he returns to his lab table and grits his teeth when Shirosaki follows. A deadly smirk curves across his face.

"Say 'no' if I'm not allowed to sleep in your bed from now on." Uryuu silently seethes, fist clenching too tightly around a striker as he lights a burner to continue his experiment. "Say 'no' if I can't wake you with a long kiss tomorrow morning. Say 'no' if—"

" _Stop_ ," he demands, dismissing his confused partner's question with a sharp hand gesture. "That's enough."

While the young woman insists that the directions are to heat for a further three minutes, Shirosaki steps in close behind him. He ghosts hands down Uryuu's sides, barely touching, and brings them to rest lightly at his hips. His pulse picks up from the contact. Shirosaki's reiatsu slowly seeps in to wreak unbridled havoc inside him. A heavy breath is released as he steadies himself with hands against the tabletop. The Hollow leans forward to murmur into his ear.

"It's too soon to be sayin' 'enough,' Uryuu, when we haven't even begun."

He vanishes without waiting for a response. Just as well, since he effectively delivered the killing blow.

* * *

Kurosaki has been acting weird since they got home, and Uryuu can't really blame him. After their unfinished conversation this morning, he has been thinking about Kurosaki all day, too. Nothing has been resolved since they haphazardly breached a tricky topic this morning. Consequently, they have been avoiding the subject all evening. Dinner was made, with groceries Kurosaki kindly bought, and consumed alongside the ready accompaniment of Shirosaki's endless commentary. Studying in the living room for the past hour has done nothing to ebb his chatter.

"Will you _shut up_ for five minutes," grits Kurosaki between scrawling notes in the margins of a paperback novel. "I have a paper due next week and I need to _concentrate_."

"Then cut me loose! Come on, I'm dyin' here, Ichigo."

"No way! For all I know, you've been playing nice all this time just so we'd eventually let you run wild."

"Give me a break, no one's that conniving. You just don't want me to leave you alone with Uryuu after you made things awkward with your stupid questions."

Flipping a page as if he didn't hear that, Uryuu highlights a sentence and keeps his eyes on his textbook. It takes longer than it should for Kurosaki to deliver a comeback. When he does, it shatters Uryuu's resolve to stay out of the spat.

"Then maybe you should stay and make sure I don't _ease the tension_ between us."

"Kurosaki is right, you shouldn't be out hunting on your own," he interrupts to prevent anymore of those perplexing threats. "With the two of you separated, you're each at half-power."

"Not an issue," Shirosaki cockily assures, "Even without a king, this horse could still take that Aizen bastard any day."

"I'll agree, the chances that you might run into an opponent you can't handle are highly unlikely but—"

"Unlikely? More like utterly impossible. Tell 'im, Ichigo." Looking to Kurosaki, he gives Uryuu a half-shrug and a modest nod. "See? Lemme hunt, pleeease? One hour, that's all I want."

"It's not worth the risk, like Ishida said."

"Actually, I suppose this town _is_ overdue for a Shinigami's attention..."

"What!? But you just said—"

"If Shirosaki stays here all night without an outlet for his energy, he'll simply expend it in a more unpleasant way." Kurosaki opens his mouth to argue but Uryuu stops him with a pointed look. "Besides that, I'm worried all this forced quality time is having an adverse effect on your bond. A break may be precisely what you two need."

"So, can I go or what?"

Both of them turn to watch Kurosaki, who scowls at Shirosaki for being such a nuisance. A long moment later, he reluctantly nods. His Hollow gives a whoop of victory and leaps to his feet.

"One hour and no more," sternly declares Kurosaki, "If we have to chase you down again—"

"Imminent bodily injury, yeah, I got it."

As he dashes through the wall with a wicked grin, Uryuu flings open the window to yell after him, "And no torturing your targets!"

When he returns to the sofa, Kurosaki has relocated to the floor in front of it. The various novels and notes are taking up more space than the cushions allow and he has to keep everything organized if he's going to make progress on his literature essay. Speaking of assignments due, Uryuu has a brand new chemistry report to work on, among other things. It doesn't help that Shirosaki's little visit to his lab earlier this afternoon almost botched his results. Turning his mind back to the experiment after the encounter was a grueling endeavor, to say the least. Perhaps the best option is to take a quick rest to refresh his mind.

Uryuu collapses to the cleared couch and lets his eyes fall shut for a few minutes.

Or so he thinks until Kurosaki is gently shaking him awake some time later. The sun has finished setting but a lamp has been switched on to tint the room with dim amber light. He gazes blearily into Kurosaki's concerned face and asks what happened.

"You were having another nightmare. Muttering in your sleep and flopping around. Almost rolled off the couch."

"Oh. I don't remember it this time," Uryuu says, moving to sit upright. Kurosaki takes a spot beside him. "What was I saying?"

"Uh, something like, 'don't go,' and, 'look out.' The usual danger-dream stuff, I guess. Do you have those nightmares every time you sleep?"

"Usually, yes. I'll go months with nothing but good dreams, if any, until the nightmares set in again." Watching Kurosaki's frown deepen, he adds, "I'm used to it. Thanks for waking me, though. I didn't mean to pass out like that."

"Yeah, I bet you didn't sleep well with a couple of annoying guys in your bed, huh?" Scoffing to himself, he glances away from Uryuu and grumbles, "Shirosaki loves to cause problems for everyone. I'll make sure he steers clear tonight."

"Actually, I...I may have accidentally given him the impression that he'll be welcome to share my bed from now on." Eyes flaring, Kurosaki visibly swallows the outburst that confession provokes. "At any rate, I already told you my dreams were more docile last night than they've been in weeks."

"How the fuck do you tolerate him so easily? Granted, he's _slightly_ less aggravating around you, but I really don't get it. You used to fight with me a hell of a lot more!"

"It's partly because I fought with you for years that I can tolerate him. The two of you aren't so much 'opposites' as 'facets of a single personality'. Why is it so difficult for you to get along with him?"

"He's a selfish, bloodthirsty opportunist!"

"Isn't that too harsh? Has it occurred to you that Shirosaki might no longer be the villain you believe him to be? Perhaps his initial ferocity has been assuaged due to the current cessation of violence. I seem to recall you mentioning that your feelings toward your Hollow side changed during the Blood War."

"Yeah, well...that was back when he wasn't bugging me twenty-four/seven." Winding down from his brief uproar, Kurosaki sighs and fixes him with a serious expression. "Shirosaki represents most of what I hate about myself. Power-hungry, aggressive, temperamental, capricious."

"They say like elements repel," wryly agrees Uryuu. He contemplates that for a moment and concludes, "It sounds to me that you are focusing so hard on what you dislike about him that you're overlooking his virtues."

"What virtues?"

"How about bravery, intelligence, and skill? Shirosaki acts with his entire being and never surrenders his beliefs. Once you see past the sarcasm and jokes, he's really kind of...interesting. Regardless of his habit of riling up those around him, Shirosaki is obviously loyal. He has shared his power with you when you needed it and even saved your life when necessary. _All_ of which can also be said about you, too, Kurosaki."

Uryuu goes quiet not because he ran out of things to say, but because continuing will mean hinting at things he isn't ready to divulge about his regard for both of them. Judging by the astonished expression on Kurosaki's face, he may already be too late.

"Is that really what you think?"

"It is."

Staring at each other for several beats, they reach an impasse where the next phrase spoken will be an instrument of change. A shield to protect whatever this is that has been growing between them, or a sword to cleave it. Kurosaki takes a breath to voice his choice at last. But then they sense Shirosaki returning from his patrol. Uryuu can practically see him mentally discard the precarious words prepared in lieu of safer ones.

"Thanks for your advice, Ishida. I'll try to be more accepting of him."

* * *

The next morning Uryuu wakes to Shirosaki leaning over him kissing his throat, and Kurosaki is nowhere in sight.

"What're you doin' to my neck?" he groggily asks, struggling to free his arms from underneath the blanket. "Shirosaki, st—"

"Yesterday, you gave the okay for me to kiss you awake. But I didn't specify _where_ I'd kiss ya."

He goes back to his work, adding a few nips and licks for variety as he makes his way to an ear. Shirosaki's hand slips under his shirt to glide down the side of his waist and Uryuu starts to wake up in more ways than one. Pushing at the Hollow's chest, he half-heartedly resists Shirosaki and his own urges alike.

"Where has Kurosaki gone?"

Shirosaki pulls back, offended, "Now, why do you always have to go 'n look for him every time we're finally gettin' somewhere?"

"Are you jealous? How can you be jealous of _yourself_?"

"'Course I can be jealous of Ichigo. We're not really the same, anyway. We are and we're not. Get it?"

"I think I'm starting to," Uryuu carefully murmurs, blue eyes locked on vivid golden.

Then he leans up and touches their mouths together in unmistakable invitation. Shirosaki accepts, combing a hand into dark hair to steady him as he eagerly deepens the contact. The Hollow moans as their tongues slide against each other. Lips meet again and again, gaining warmth and wetness as the kiss continues. Uryuu pulls at the fabric of his uniform to urge him closer when black fingernails press into the skin at the back of his neck.

Finally, Uryuu breaks away if only to catch shortened breath. His gaze collides with Shirosaki's in poignant acknowledgment of what they are both feeling. A noise at the door has them turning to spy Kurosaki staring from its archway. Uryuu's heart freezes at a glimpse of his shuttered expression before he turns to go.

"Kurosaki, wait. Kurosaki!"

Opting to ignore the calls, he hurriedly retreats. Uryuu climbs off the bed from beneath Shirosaki to chase after him. Appetizing smells of the breakfast Kurosaki made lead the way to the kitchen. He approaches the man facing away and sets a hand to his shoulder. The touch detonates him, exploding at Uryuu with no lack of confusion, hurt, and anger most of all.

"What, Ishida? Why did you stop what you were doing to come all the way in here? Looked like you were having a great time with Shirosaki! Don't let me stop you. Just pretend I don't exist! I should've fucking known you'd give in to him eventually."

"If you didn't want us together, all you had to do was say as much," he defensively fires back, "Instead of constantly claiming Shirosaki to be untrustworthy and scheming. Offering to keep him at bay while asking what I wanted to do...Why make it sound as if I ever had a choice when you were only going to act this way? I suppose you expected me to read your mind, is that it? Don't expect me to accept all the blame when you—"

With a distressed noise, Kurosaki grabs and kisses him even more frantically than Shirosaki just was. Uryuu instantly returns it, matching his passion such that they bang against drawers and knock a few things from the counters before suddenly jolting apart from each other several moments later. He lands against the edge of the sink, breath coming fast, and watches Kurosaki raise a hand to cover his gaping mouth. Looking at Uryuu as though his world has just been shattered and unsure whether for better or worse, he visibly struggles with the aftermath of their actions. Not a single syllable is exchanged between them.

Then Kurosaki leaves the kitchen, leaves the apartment, and Uryuu senses Shirosaki following after him.

* * *

If he thought the initial hour was bad, Uryuu really wasn't prepared for the rest of his day. Five minutes late to his first class due to traffic, he then got an unprecedented score of eight-nine percent on a quiz in his second lecture. His third class ran late and forced him to forgo lunch or forfeit physiology lab. It was rat dissection day. When his assigned lab partner ineptly nicked the poor creature's colon, the resulting stench almost made Uryuu glad he abstained from an afternoon meal. The cherry on top of the whole horrendous sundae was a rare Hollow incursion on campus. He forfeited attendance points to leave lab early and take care of it.

The only upside to all this was it kept his mind off the morning's events. Now that he is finally headed home, however, his earlier run-in with both of the 'Sakis steals forefront in his thoughts. Uryuu pushes open the door expecting to interrupt a heated argument as usual. He balks when nothing but quiet music can be heard. Shirosaki is sprawled out on the couch tossing the stereo remote high in the air and looking dangerously bored. His counterpart comes strolling out of the kitchen as Uryuu steps out of his shoes and hangs up his jacket.

Please let Kurosaki be in an avoidant mood, he silently prays.

"Ishida, we need to talk."

Damn.

"It's not a good time, Kurosaki."

He moves to walk past him toward the kitchen for a much-needed meal, but a grip on his arm proves an effective impediment. In spite of his resistance, Kurosaki drags him into the bedroom and shuts the door for the pretense of privacy from his nosy Hollow. More irritated than he really should be, Uryuu folds his arms and clenches his jaw to keep himself from lashing out and making an unfortunate situation worse.

"I know you're pissed. I can't blame you," he prefaces with unnervingly direct eye contact, "But I need to say this."

"Fine. What is it?"

"You were right: I wasn't comfortable with the idea of you and Shirosaki from the beginning."

"Obviously."

"I kept it to myself because I didn't want to make that choice for you. Guess I was hoping you'd make a different one."

"So sorry to disappoint. Now, if that's all—"

"It's not." Stepping sideways to stand in front of the handle, he blocks Uryuu's attempted exit. "Ishida, I won't tell you to stay away from him. Do whatever you want and I'll cope. All I ask is...that you at least _consider_ doing it with me, too."

His breath sticks in his throat as his eyes widen. Surely Uryuu heard that wrong.

"What?"

"I didn't kiss you on accident, you know. It didn't 'just happen'. Maybe I wasn't planning on doing it right then, but I've wanted to," confesses Kurosaki, voice hushed. "I've thought about it a lot."

Uryuu purses his lips to keep himself from blurting 'me, too'. With his piece said, Kurosaki gives him a long look and turns to leave. He lets the man go, at a loss for proper comment after that revelation.

Rather than join them straight away, he uses the time alone to take a shower. Nothing like good soap and hot water to wash away the residue of a hard day. Burning the outfit that likely reeks of rodent entrails is extremely tempting. First, Uryuu is beyond overdue for some sustenance. He braves the common area in the interest of foraging, only to have Shirosaki walk up and hand him a steaming bowl of noodles.

"Ichigo made it. Figured you'd be hungry."

Leading him to sit on the couch beside the chef, Shirosaki takes the remaining seat to Uryuu's left and hands him a pair of chopsticks. Catching a fragrant whiff of the broth, his stomach obnoxiously growls in anticipation.

"I missed lunch," Uryuu bashfully explains.

"Rough day?" inquires Kurosaki between bites from his own bowl.

"Very."

Conversation is shunned as Uryuu focuses on filling his belly with the warm, delicious food. Say what he will of Kurosaki's social skills, but the man can cook! A handful of days into this ludicrous experiment and he has already gotten used to this phenomenon. He's going to miss waking up or coming home to superb meals like this. In that vein, Uryuu realizes he is probably going to miss waking up or coming home to his houseguests, as well. When did that happen?

Sipping at the last of his broth, he is startled from borderline-melancholy musings when Shirosaki suddenly kneels in front of him. Uryuu stiffens when a ghostly hand reaches out to gently ensnare one of his feet. A seductive tendril of reiatsu begs access to his magnetic spirit through the contact.

"What are you up to this time?" Kurosaki snaps, beating him to it.

"Helpin' Uryuu relax."

Shirosaki starts rubbing at his sole without waiting for permission. Although he is poised to complain and pull away on principle, the Hollow's self-assured attentions are far from objectionable. He flashes Uryuu a sultry smirk as though sensing his thoughts. Kurosaki snorts and sets his empty bowl on the coffee table with a loud clink.

"Yeah? Two can play that game."

His dish is plucked from lax fingers and placed beside Kurosaki's. He pulls a knee up to the sofa and sits sideways against the armrest, guiding Uryuu to follow suit. Catching on, Shirosaki mirrors them on the opposite end and pulls Uryuu's feet into his lap. Before he can demand exactly who they think is a marionette for them to position as they deem fit, Kurosaki overrides his impending exclamation by kneading lightly at his shoulders. His reiatsu zings into Uryuu and collides with the Hollow's to create a synergy that seems to amplify both strains. The unexpected reaction makes him a bit dizzy.

"C-come on, you two," Uryuu tries as Shirosaki resumes his work, too, "This is just..."

"Just what, Ishida? Damn, are you always this tense?"

"He's in need of some major stress relief," answers Shirosaki when Uryuu can't summon the words. "We'll fix that."

It's nice. No, that's not right. 'Nice' isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how their hands are making him feel. Especially when Kurosaki digs his thumbs in at the base of his neck, loosening the knotted muscles bracketing his vertebrae. His breath hitches to halt an approving hum before it escapes. Futile, since Shirosaki soon finds a spot in the arch that forces a gasp followed by an unsteady exhale. Uryuu dimly thinks he should really get up and lock himself in his room. This has already gone too far.

Hands nudge under the hem of his shirt to smooth firmly up and down his back on either side of his spine.

"Kurosaki!"

"There's too much friction with the cloth in the way."

He says it so calmly, like it's the most logical thing in the world to glide his palms over Uryuu's bare skin. Formulating the rebuke that deserves, he bites down on his lip instead when Shirosaki raises his leg to lap at his toes.

"Shirosaki!"

"You just washed 'em, didn't ya? What's the problem?"

"Ah, you're tensing up again," Kurosaki grumbles.

"Of course I'm tense, he's sucking on my toe!"

While he recovers from an immediate continuation of 'the problem', Kurosaki has taken to swirling little circles across his lower back. It's clear they are in competition, yet they work together strangely well in eroding Uryuu's resistance. Against _much_ better judgment, he finds himself wondering if this is what sex with them would be like. Attacking from both sides, slowly stirring him up until every last whisper of inhibition is banished from his mind. Would it be overwhelming, far too intense? Or would it be the best night of his life? Either way, there's no point in speculating; as jealous as they are of each other, surely neither would be satisfied with sharing.

More importantly, Shirosaki has graduated from toes to kissing his ankles and massaging his calves. Uryuu prepares to flee and end this terrifyingly pleasant evening before things get crazier. But Kurosaki senses it in his posture and locks arms around to anchor him in place. Uryuu's hands automatically grip at restraining wrists but don't tug them off. Likewise, Shirosaki refuses to relinquish even an inch of his hold.

"Your heart's racing."

A hot murmur against his ear, Kurosaki's words have him squeezing his eyes shut to concentrate on his breathing. But shutting his eyes only makes the sensations that much more intense. If this goes on much longer, he will...No, it's already too late to worry about the fact that this is exciting him. Rather, he needs to break free before _they_ notice it.

"So much for helpin' ya _relax_."

The tone Shirosaki uses connotes deeper meaning and his eyes snap open to find the Hollow's trained on the apex of his legs. He hears Kurosaki's breath hitch when he sees it, too. Uryuu licks his lips and parts them to speak, until Kurosaki's close around an ear lobe. He moans, loudly, and all three freeze for a second. Shirosaki starts to shift forward but Uryuu can't see why because his chin is being tilted so Kurosaki can fit their mouths together.

Tentatively kissing back, he feels a grip on his thigh and another at his waist. Seeing as he still has a hold on Kurosaki's wrists, this means Shirosaki is up to something. It is becoming increasingly difficult to care the wilder their kiss grows, even when the front of his shirt is pushed up a bit to expose his lower abdomen. Even when soft lips press against the delicate flesh just below his belly button. Even when fingers curl around the hem of his pants. Uryuu is shocked from the daze when those fingers start to pull fabric south. He has to draw a sharp line at Shirosaki's intended target, aroused to the point of almost losing control.

Turns out escaping their clutches is easy when he actually means it. Kurosaki reaches out to support his Hollow as he falls forward into the space Uryuu just supernaturally vacated. They turn to stare at him standing halfway across the room with twin expressions of exasperation. Then Kurosaki's morphs into something like remorse.

"You went too far," he mutters to his Hollow.

"Didn't see you stoppin' me," Shirosaki gripes right back.

"I-I'm going to bed," mumbles Uryuu, still shaken by what nearly happened and what it means. " _Alone_."

He can feel their eyes on him as he stalks down the hall and slams his bedroom door.

It's late, but his body doesn't seem to know it. Lying in bed as minute after minute crawls by, he resolutely does not act on the lingering lust burning in his bloodstream. An issue only exacerbated by persistent reiatsu borne of two obscenely abundant energy sources. Even displaced from their feuding owners, it seems to churn and roil within him. Uryuu buries his face in the pillow to muffle a groan. He's _doomed_.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: There is quite a bit of adult content in the first part of this chapter. For those sensitive to that sort of thing, feel free to skip to the second section of this chapter, past the page break, for a clean(er) ending.

* * *

5

* * *

A resonant noise from across the room breaks through the barrier of his headphones. He glances up to catch Kurosaki bending over the couch arm to retrieve a hefty textbook from the floor, rising to emphatically mouth what must be another reprimand to his smirking Hollow. Shaking his head, Uryuu returns his attention to the laptop on the desk before him. The volume of his music is dialed up another increment.

It has been like this all morning and afternoon. While Uryuu would love to say he has much better things to do on a Saturday than stay at home studying and composing essays, the reality is far from kind. And since Shirosaki has been pestering his Shinigami out of much needed quiet-time, Kurosaki isn't about to run out and party, either. So, they set up operations on the sofa and Uryuu cordoned himself off on the other side of the apartment for an illusion of seclusion.

At least he hadn't woken up from another nightmare today.

On the contrary, Uryuu stirred awake from a particularly vulgar scene involving himself and the two people he is furtively avoiding because of it. 'Vulgar' though it may have been, that didn't keep him from having a very specific reaction that he still refuses to acknowledge. He knows he is only delaying the inevitable but he can't bring himself to cross that line carelessly.

A lull in the song momentarily allows external sounds to break through, except there aren't any. He warily looks up to inspect why the constant bickering has eased. Uryuu's eyes widen at the likely reason: both men are bowed close together, gazes locked on each other and noses almost touching. Tugging off his headphones, he opens his mouth to ask what kind of joke this is but sucks in a gasp instead as Kurosaki grabs the front of his Hollow's shihakusho and drags him into a kiss.

Frozen in shock, Uryuu watches as Shirosaki tilts his head to lean in closer. Again, he starts to demand answers and again, he is halted by the telltale flash of pink between moving lips. Uryuu pushes to an unsteady stand, propping a hand on his desk when his knees threaten to give. This can't really be happening! Can it?

"K-Kurosaki!" he haltingly cries, taking a few steps toward them. "T-This...What in the world is...? Stop that!"

They do, after a few more seconds of Frenching. Shirosaki laughs at his stunned expression and sits back against the cushions. Kurosaki won't look at him.

"We're takin' your advice and workin' on our bond," proudly states the Hollow in response to Uryuu's half-uttered question. "It's hard to hate a lover."

"That doesn't even—I never meant—" Floundering, he addresses Kurosaki, "You know I wasn't implying anything like this, don't you?"

"Jealous?" croons Shirosaki.

"Appalled!"

"Why?" Kurosaki finally pipes up, turning unreadable eyes on him. "Are you disgusted by us?"

"No," he hastily denies. Then Uryuu actually consults his emotions and considers the situation. "No, of course not. It's just a bit strange, you have to admit. It's not something I ever expected to see."

Unsatisfied by his reply, Kurosaki visibly closes off. The next words he speaks are colored by an acerbic splash of offense.

"It's not weird, Ishida, you're just a prude. Shirosaki and I aren't the same person. It might be kind of vain to be attracted to your own doppelganger, but it's not like I'm making out with my brother."

"Totally vain," agrees Shirosaki, "But not incest."

"Shut up," he barks at the Hollow. "We've tried talking and cohabitating for almost a week now. Nothing is working! Last night when the three of us started to...I've thought about nothing else since then and...Neither of us likes the idea of the other being alone with you, so—"

"Wa-wait a second, Kurosaki!"

"We want to do a group thing with ya," Shirosaki cheerfully confirms despite Uryuu's panicked attempt to prevent it. "So this is just a test run."

With that, he turns to Kurosaki and reinitiates a heated kiss. Uryuu stands stupefied as they go at it like they've been working up to this all week. He's starting to wonder if that might be closer to the truth than he realizes. Shirosaki takes it up a notch with wandering hands. Uryuu tracks their progress across Kurosaki's body, belatedly noticing the crafty Hollow peeking at him through slatted eyes. Uryuu can't break the seductive gaze. From the periphery, he sees a bone-white palm slide firmly over a jeans zipper. Kurosaki jumps but doesn't push the hand away.

"Enough." It comes out as a whisper, so Uryuu clears his throat to repeat, "Enough. You've made your point."

They withdraw from each other and turn to regard him in unison. He knows they are waiting for his answer. There's no way he is capable of making snap judgments about whether or not to have a threesome with two of his friends. Ideally, he would like to take them both to his bed simultaneously, if he is being brutally honest. It's not as if the thought never crossed his mind. He can't even be ashamed about it, imagining how amazing it would be with the two of them. Yet, Uryuu hesitates for one reason in particular.

"Is this even something you could want?" Kurosaki interrupts his internal debate, "Or do you want us to leave and never talk to you again?"

"No, don't—" Biting back his startled words, Uryuu shuts his eyes and takes a calming breath. "Don't say things like that, Kurosaki. The last thing I want is to end our friendship over this."

It's the one thing holding him back. Uryuu's admission summons a small smile tinged with relief from Kurosaki. He rises from the couch and goes to stand in front of him. A moment's deliberation leads him to reach down and curl a hand around one of Uryuu's. They both stare at the light connection and the changes it represents.

"Me, too. So if you'd rather forget all about this, pretend none of it happened, I'll never mention it again."

"And if I don't want to forget?"

Brown eyes flare in surprise. Kurosaki glances to his Hollow, paying rapt attention but staying out of the discussion until now.

"Does that mean you wanna do it, Uryuu?"

Between the eager look on Shirosaki's face and the warm pressure of Kurosaki's fingers wrapped around his, Uryuu is swayed. He nods. In an instant, Shirosaki is behind him, fitting their contours together nicely. His hands go to the clasps of Uryuu's shirt and set to work separating them. A giddy rush of reiatsu steals his breath for a disorienting moment. Kurosaki sees it in his expression and steps forward to halt his Hollow's actions long enough for Uryuu to regroup.

"What's wrong?" asks Kurosaki.

Shirosaki backs off and suddenly he can think again.

"Nothing. It's nothing, I'm fine."

"I've never seen you make that face before," he insists, narrowing his eyes. "What did he do to you?"

Rather than defend himself, Shirosaki laughs darkly like the villain he isn't. Uryuu looks over his shoulder to spy a knowing expression that clearly spells trouble.

"He's been keepin' a secret from us, Ichigo. Our proper, refined Quincy has a thing for power."

"What do you mean?"

"Just ignore him, Kurosaki."

"I mean," Shirosaki starts and reaches out to graze fingertips down his arms, edged with so much crackling energy that it has Uryuu biting his lip to hold back a groan, "He's enticingly sensitive to a bit of reiatsu play."

"Is that true, Ishida?"

Before he can deny it as he intends, Kurosaki sends out an experimental pulse through their linked hands. What is probably a modest spark for him translates to a kaleidoscopic roman candle within Uryuu. He yanks out of the contact and fails to hide how his breathing has gone ragged and loud just from one attack.

"Shit," Kurosaki huffs at the effect he had. "I never noticed."

"You weren't meant to," hisses Uryuu with a glare in Shirosaki's direction.

"Does it always feel like that when I touch you?"

"I suggest you shrug out of that human body confinin' your spirit and let 'im get a taste of the real deal, King."

"No!"

Uryuu's dissent comes too late. Kurosaki is already reaching for the badge in his pocket, manifesting as a Shinigami, and slinging his vacated vessel onto the sofa. He approaches Uryuu, instinctively backing away from him only to run into Shirosaki. They capture him from both sides; he doesn't stand a chance. Kissed from the front and being stripped from behind, all he can do is fight to keep his mind clear as energy is intentionally channeled into him through both men.

The next few minutes are a blur. Somehow they make it to Uryuu's bedroom, already divested of most articles of clothing. The scene goes fuzzy at the edges as his smudged, skewed glasses are lifted off and set aside for safekeeping. Shirosaki shoves down his hakama at the same time that Kurosaki kicks off his boxers. He doesn't know who to ogle first. They team up in eerie synchrony to slide the last layer from Uryuu's hips and guide him to the bed.

"Are we going too fast, Ishida?"

"You're bein' awfully quiet," Shirosaki seconds the sentiment. "Maybe we're not goin' fast enough."

Truthfully, with the way they are touching him it is taking every last shred of concentration he can muster not to start moaning like a slut. Uryuu is too determined to maintain some degree of dignity to allow himself to go that far. Although the direction this is headed, he probably won't have much choice soon.

"Keep going," he breathlessly orders.

Shirosaki grins and pushes him to lie back on the mattress. He parts Uryuu's knees and lowers his eyes, hinting at what is coming next. The sudden squeak of a foil packet tearing makes him jump. Before he can feel apprehensive about his very first blow job, Kurosaki is braced above him to deliver a soothing kiss. Even properly distracted, Shirosaki's enthusiastic attentions are startling. Uryuu instinctively struggles against so much pleasure at once, but Kurosaki is a step ahead as he takes hold of his wrists to keep him still.

Fleeting, unending moments later he tears his mouth from Kurosaki's to call an urgent warning that goes unheeded. Brown eyes watch intensely as Uryuu shivers and melts at the glide of Shirosaki's creative tongue, the press of his dexterous fingers. In spite of the intimate situation, he blushes under the scrutiny, especially when a ragged groan slips out.

" _Damn_ , you are too sexy," praises Kurosaki, a yearning edge to his voice. "I never imagined you would make this kind of expression, Ishida."

Rising from his task, Shirosaki says, "Don't forget who put it there. He's ready for ya, King."

"You're letting me go first, without a fight?"

"Maybe I'm feelin' generous. Or maybe I'm cravin' some o' those sweet Quincy kisses."

"Yeah, or you're just happy 'cause you finally got what you've been aiming for since day one."

"Well, if you don't wanna go, I'll take your turn—"

"Hell no!"

Uryuu manages to catch his breath and regain some of his faculties during their banter. He starts to sit up and offer his opinion on proceedings but they have already decided for him. The Shinigami guides him to his knees and moves behind while the Hollow sidles up in front. Kurosaki's hands smooth down his sides to grip at Uryuu's hips and Shirosaki steadies him by the shoulders.

"Stop me if I hurt you," Kurosaki requests while kissing along the line of his throat.

Uryuu automatically tenses at the foreign pressure but Shirosaki counters with insistent lips and a skillful hand. Exhibiting a strength of will Uryuu would have sworn he didn't possess, Kurosaki eases in slowly. Arms wrap tightly around Uryuu's middle and he feels an unsteady exhale at the base of his neck. They both take a moment to breathe through it as Kurosaki makes it all the way inside. Even Shirosaki pauses, eyes burning up and down their interlocked bodies.

"How's it feel, Uryuu?"

He tries to reply but it comes out a hitched breath instead, since Kurosaki chooses that moment to start moving. Shirosaki moans at his attempted answer and reconnects their kiss. Scooting even closer, he aligns their hips so that Uryuu can feel what effect they are having on the Hollow. Now he is securely sandwiched between the two shifting men, his skin tingling from wave after wave of their unrestrained reiatsu.

The self-imposed gag order doesn't last. Right about the time Kurosaki starts nibbling at the dip in his shoulder and murmuring about how good Uryuu feels, he loses all propriety. Worse yet, Shirosaki notes the change and breaks the kiss to hear him more clearly. He even snakes a hand between them to encourage a few more short, low sounds. But by then Kurosaki is far from silent, either.

"Close," he gasps as his pace speeds up, " _Fuck_ , nnh..."

Growing impatient, Shirosaki hisses, "Hurry up!"

When Kurosaki doesn't immediately comply, his Hollow meets Uryuu's eyes as he reaches lower to press into a certain spot. The fierce jolt of pleasure makes Uryuu cry out and tighten up as his second orgasm is wrenched from him. Subjected to considerable constriction, Kurosaki falls right along with him. Shirosaki's smug snickering earns a glare from his Shinigami.

"Bastard," he accuses amid labored panting. "You okay, Ishida?"

His initial response is a wavering moan. Uryuu lets his swimming head tilt forward to rest on Shirosaki's chest. The Hollow's placating palm pets along the arch of his neck. Gently disengaging, Kurosaki brushes his fringe back to expose his flushed face.

"I'm all right," Uryuu tells them both at length, "I think."

"Good, 'cause I'm not done with ya yet."

They take the liberty of repositioning him again, with Kurosaki propped against the headboard and Uryuu's back leaning against his chest. Shirosaki settles between his thighs and doesn't hesitate to take what he wants. He doesn't start slow like Kurosaki. In fact, he pushes Uryuu's knees towards his shoulders and slams into him with an innate ferocity. What little remained of his filter disappears under the treatment. Uryuu tries to muffle his embarrassing noises with a fist but Kurosaki tugs it away.

"Please, Ishida," he passionately implores, "Let us hear you."

Shirosaki clearly agrees, watching him with darkened eyes and sexy smirk. His fingers seek the Hollow's flexing back as Kurosaki's endeavor to stoke him back to full strength. Aided by the sporadic fluctuations of their combined spiritual pressure, he recovers swiftly indeed. Uryuu gets completely lost in it. Hips snap up to meet Shirosaki's of their own accord. Eyes clench shut and refuse to open again. Nails dig into the flesh he clings to as his only anchor. Wild moans trip out of him, one after another.

"Not yet," Shirosaki mutters, sensing his precarious state. "Don't let him come yet, Ichigo."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because," he grunts, pausing to shift a little higher, "I'm not ready for this to be over."

Grasping the full scope of that statement's meaning, Kurosaki curses and reaches down to lock Uryuu in limbo. He might normally agree with that decision but Shirosaki's new angle is calculated. Consequently, the frenzy Uryuu was already building up to explodes from one second to the next. Kurosaki does his best to hold on as he writhes and struggles against them. It's too much, too intense, and Uryuu is having trouble getting enough oxygen to stay conscious.

"Shirosa—Need to—" Uryuu tries but coherent speech is absolutely impossible. "Let me...Aah, _aahn_... _Ichigo_!"

A sharp gasp is followed by a faltering exhale. Kurosaki doesn't check in with his Hollow before doing exactly as Uryuu requests. He brings it to an end. Uryuu's entire body goes rigid as his release is granted, and Shirosaki has no choice but to chase after him. Belatedly, he detects a splash of warmth at his lower back proving Kurosaki was not excluded from this round.

* * *

Shirosaki drops to his back beside Uryuu with a huff. He doesn't have the energy to check on him, but Kurosaki has it covered. Gingerly slipping from behind Uryuu, he leans over his Hollow and kisses him soundly in silent apology. That seems to dispel whatever sulk Shirosaki might have been indulging. Paper-pale hands reach up to approve the gesture by tangling into orange frizz.

As he watches this touching display, Uryuu becomes aware of a mounting frisson of reiatsu surrounding them. Both of his bed partners' eyes widen as they feel it, as well. Shirosaki's solid outline starts to smudge and fade.

"Looks like we're not so different after all," the Hollow tells his Shinigami with a contented smile, "Eh, King? I'll see you on the inside."

"Wait, Shirosaki—"

Uryuu reaches for him and Shirosaki leans up to halt him with a final kiss.

"Thanks for one hell of a week, my hot lil' Quincy."

With that, his soul vanishes. Kurosaki abruptly yells and falls back in a daze.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Shirosaki, he—Ggh!" His spine arches off the bed on a low groan. Eyes snapping open to meet Uryuu's, he says, "I think I just experienced...everything he did this past week. Right up to his time with you a few minutes ago."

"Is he...Can you still sense him?"

"Yeah," Kurosaki confirms with a relieved cast to his features that Uryuu shares. "Yeah, he's back. Pissed at having to leave you, though."

"Tell him he'll just have to live vicariously through you from now on."

Laughing at that, Kurosaki soon sobers and fixes Uryuu with a solemn gaze.

"Does that mean you'd be willing to do this kind of thing again? I thought you wanted to stay friends."

Uryuu shakes his head. "I said I didn't want to lose your friendship. That doesn't mean I wouldn't be open to expanding it."

"You would seriously date a 'hopeless idiot' like me?"

"If you'll have me."

"Are you kidding, Uryuu!?" he incredulously demands, deliberately using his given name for the first time. "You did something I never imagined possible: you _domesticated_ my Hollow! More than that, you helped make me whole again. You would have to shoot me full of those pretty blue arrows of yours to keep me away."

"Hmm. As it happens, I am practically vibrating with power right now. Maybe I should just—"

He doesn't get the chance to finish the joke. Kurosaki cuts him off with a slow, lingering kiss. Uryuu gladly returns it, scooting closer until they are wrapped in each other's arms.

"Too late. You're stuck with me now. Besides, you'll need someone around to fend off those nightmares of yours."

Uryuu leans his forehead against Kurosaki's and lets his eyes slip shut.

"I get the feeling I won't be having them anymore."


End file.
